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Intramural Sports
41784_4831486660_9698_n-1.jpg|Intramural Sports Logo 174786_188471554517339_1183925_n.jpg|Basketball 702022534.jpg|Flag Football coed-soccer-intramural-sports-events-at-pacific-university.jpg|Soccer terry-cup.jpg|Co-ed Softball Badminton-1-KLLDQWHGIT-1024x768.jpg|Badminton georgia_web.jpg|Cornhole by: Claire White Intramural Sports Intramural sports are recreational sports that the University of Georgia offers to all students on campus. Playing in intramural sports is an exciting way to get involved on campus and encounter new people. Intramural sports are effective because they give former non-athletic high school students the opportunity to experience being a member of a team. The goal of intramural sports is to “make participation in sports a meaningful part of a total education and to help produce a mentally integrated and socially adjusted individual by all-around participation in competitive and recreational activities” (“The University of Georgia Recreational Sports”). By offering a multitude of intramural sports to students, the intramural department is creating a well-rounded group of students who are proudly representing the University of Georgia. Popular Intramural Sport The University offers a wide variety of sports for students to get engaged in. The sports range all the way from softball to corn hole. The intramural sports program offers sports that were never considered sports in high school such as badminton, dodge ball, and corn hole (“The University of Georgia Recreational Sports”). These diverse sports give students the opportunity to be adventurous and try out various activities. Twenty-five different sports are provided by the University during the spring and fall; offering numerous sports makes it possible for students to find a sport that interests them (“The University of Georgia Recreational Sports”). Although there are so many different sports to choose from, it may be overwhelming to pick one to get involved in. In order to receive feedback of freshman favorites, a survey was conducted based on active members in intramural sports. The results concluded that softball and flag football are the most popular sports to participate in (“Popular Intramural Sports”). If students are torn between the different sports, this survey may guide them to a reasonable decision. Competition in Intramural Sports Although the intramural sports program offers a wide variety of sports to students, intramural sports are not as competitive as former high school sports. There are no tryouts and sometimes no practices are conducted throughout the season. Students just gather together to play in games. Intramural sports do not have a significant commitment, which makes it manageable for students to participate in the program. Intramural sports are very lenient with time and schedules (Carroll). If a student cannot make it to a game because of a test or homework, then the student will not get penalized because school always takes precedence. The idea of intramural sports is to provide students the chance to compete in sports and stay active when they just want a break from school or life. The concept of intramural sports gives students the opportunity to take a break from studying and participate in an activity that is enjoyable. One active member of intramural sports claims that “intramural sports gave him the opportunity to compete in a sport that he wasn’t good enough for in high school” (Shank). Also, students are provided the leisure of trying a sport that they are passionate about without having high skill levels. Kathryn Spencer, a freshman who is actively involved in softball and flag football, claims that “she never played softball in high school, but decided to play softball because she thought it would be fun.” Spencer notes that she did not have the skill set needed to play softball, but she enjoyed playing because she was surrounded by her friends. Intramural sports are an awesome way to get involved around campus without taking a lot of time out of the day. Benefits of Intramural Sports: Intramural sports are very beneficial for incoming freshman. According to Spencer, freshman are always nervous about coming to a large school without a support group or a close group of friends, but intramural sports is a great way to interact with new people. Immediately, students find a group of supportive friends to count on. The intramural sports program “believes its work is about developing and maintaining relationships” (“The University of Georgia Recreational Sports”). Students spend time with their team at games and form personal relationships with their teammates. Parker Shank supports this claim by stating, “I made my best friends through playing intramural sports. Those are the guys I always hang out with and that I can always count on no matter what.” Intramural sports establish friendships that will continue through a student’s four years of college. Aside from friendships, intramural sports aid students to stay fit. Freshmen are constantly worried about gaining the freshman fifteen. By getting involved in intramural sports, students can stay active and in shape. One freshman made it clear that she would rather play sports to stay fit rather than running on the treadmill; “I hate going to Ramsey to run on the treadmill. It gets so boring. Instead, I play intramural sports to stay fit because I get just as much running done as I would on the treadmill” (Carroll). Intramural sports makes it extremely manageable to keep off the freshman fifteen. Also, team-building skills are gradually developed through participation in intramural sports. When students are playing on a team, they learn to cooperate with others and become a team player; students cannot be selfish when playing on a team. These significant traits not only affect the way a student performs on the field, but they also carry into a student’s daily life, whether it be in school, a relationship, or even a future career. 'Student Testimonial:' “Personally, I am a member of the sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi. I always played sports throughout high school. They were pretty much my life. When I got to college, I was informed of intramural sports, and quickly decided that I wanted to get involved in a couple of the sports teams. My sorority formed a flag football team, so I decided to join the team. We never had practice and just showed up for the game. It is perfect because I am incredibly busy with school and keeping up my grades, but every week or so I get the opportunity to take a break from studying and play flag football. Playing intramural sports brings me back to all the sports I was involved in during high school. I love it” (Hayley Schnieder). 'References:' Carroll, Kailey. "Intramural Sports." Personal Interview by Claire White. October 22, 2011. Schnieder, Hayley. "Intramural Sports." Personal Interview by Claire White. October 29, 2011. Shank, Parker. "Intramural Sports." Personal Interview by Claire White. October 20,2011. Spencer, Kathryn. "Intramural Sports." Personal Interview by Claire White. October 22, 2011. "The University of Georgia Recreational Sports." The University of Georgia, November 2, 2011. Web. 2 Nov 2011. <http://www.recsports.uga.edu/intramural_sports.php>. White, Claire. “Popular Intramural Sports.” Survey. 26 October 2011. Category:Sports